Worst accessory purchase

I forgot that we have a gorillapod. We never use it though. Got it for use with a bridge camera nearly seven years ago.

I may dig it out.

lens cleaning pen, with brush and replaceable pads.

What a waste of time.

I've got the grip on my K200 permanently!

I assume it's just a matter of choice, having dozens more shots shooting power...

Ha, complete opposite, I love my Gorillapod - best £20 I've spent

Stretchy fabric flash diffusers. Rubbish. I threw them in the bin.

Gorillapod, hot shoe spirit level, lenspen, none of which ever see the light of day.

PS: Raynox 250 + D-FA or FA 100mm macro lens = horrifically close focussing + extreme magnification.

Twin flash macro bracket bought on ebay link. Nice idea but, contrary to the claims made in the description, insufficiently strong and durable to be used with anything but the smallest of flash guns. Now gathering dust on the bookshelf

Jon

Thank you !

Thanks !

I think what this thread goes to show is that one man's trash is another man's treasure !

I use my lenspen all the time, it's indispensable. Same goes for the cable release but less so the IR wireless version. However the grip has only seen the light of day a handful of times. And I have two whole cartons of copy Gorillapods in the study downstairs (a failed export attempt) !!

If we're talking about the scale of £££s wasted, then it would have to be a Metz 58. We were living in Ethiopia at the time and I read online all about how a flash had transformed other peoples' photography, thereby deciding it might be a smart purchase on the next trip home. As access to such things was non-existent in Addis Ababa, I decided on a trip to the UK that I might as well get the best I could afford as I'd have little opportunity to upgrade in the next year or more.

A farcical decision as it turned out, as I only used it a handful of times, swiftly realising that I am more interested in learning how to better use natural light before making any attempt to master flash photography. Part of the problem was the bulk of the thing, which gets in the way for much of the shooting I do. So it sat in the cupboard gathering dust.

The good news is that I eventually (last month) exchanged it with another PUFer for a Samsung 36 (the Pentax 360 equivalent) and cash. The Samsung is much more suitable - it's less flash (excuse pun), which is appropriate for someone who uses artificial light so little (for now, at least); and it's also less cumbersome so stands more chance of getting used. Though it has only been tested so far, I am glad it's there in case I need a flash and - who knows - I might finally get around to getting to grips with flash photography.

Re. the lenspen - just got one of these and am actually finding it very useful. The cable remote (generally use the timer) and Gorillapod (for tripod-less holidays) don't see so much use, though I'm glad I have them (in that order). My Raynox has gone to another home. Nothing wrong with it, but I'm not particularly interested in macro and in any case I now have a DFA100 - mostly used as a general purpose 100mm, notably for portraits.


My that was a long answer.

Lastolite Apollo flash modifier - I could have made something better out of some Lego, Meccano and an old hankie!

My gorilla pod - It is well made and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just find I hardly ever use it.

Not really fair to call it the worst accessory purchase I suppose, but in my case at least it has proved to be an unnecessary one.

Cheers,

/Ian

I use my cable remote, and the wireless one, and the spirit level on a regular basis! The biggest problem with the wireless remote is it is too small and I keep mislaying it.

The grip I rarely use. It only sees the light of day when I am going to be using a bigger lens a fair bit, such as the DA* 50-135mm.

K.

Can I add another one? My Crumpler Pretty Bella bag. It looks great but is in fact pretty useless.

If one of you with an unused hotshoe spirit level happens to find it lying at the bottom of their bag and wants it to go to a good home instead - PM me.

Maybe one advantage of being short of funds is that we don't buy things until we are sure we really need them - as I can't think of anything off the top of my head.

It just smeared and didn't do its job. It wasn't from ebay and was quite expensive.

I soon found expensive microfibre lens cloths work along with a rocket blower and pec pads and eclipse.